USS
In 1917, I served with the 13th Uhlans Regiment, which consisted of Ukrainians from the vicinity of Zolochiv. At that time, I was already in contact with the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen (USS), who were stationed on the South Galician Front. USS officers, such as Otaman Dr. Nykyfor Hirniak, Colonel Hryts Kossak, and others, frequently visited me. It was during this period that Polish Legions, under Colonel Haller's leadership, switched sides and joined the Muscovites near Chernivtsi. As a consequence, the Austro-Hungarian authorities issued an order to disarm the remaining units of the Polish Legions and intern them in the Marmarosh Sighet.
In the Austro-Hungarian high command, there were many officers of Polish nationality who were pro-Polish and occupied high positions. They were determined to disband both the USS and the Polish Legions. Thus, fierce intrigues against the USS began from all sides. I obtained this information from sources in Vienna and from the USS officers who visited me. They complained that the USS were under threat of dissolution, which would be a significant loss for the overall Ukrainian cause. I fully shared their perspective and firmly responded that such a thing would not happen, and I took the matter into my own hands. Without hesitation, I immediately traveled from my Uhlans regiment to Vienna, where I tried every means to get the USS under my command. I faced many difficulties and had to overcome numerous dishonorable intrigues. In the end, I succeeded, as Emperor Karl personally entrusted me with the command over the USS. This decision caused great indignation among the high command and Polish circles, but it was to no avail.
In the winter of 1917/1918, I traveled to Lviv, where I had further discussions with some USS officers. In the spring of 1918, the Austro-Hungarian forces launched an offensive into Ukraine. This brought great joy among the USS members. In March, I traveled through Ternopil to Odessa, as there were USS units in that region.
While passing through Zhmerynka, I had a conversation with Austrian General Hofman, the commander of the XII² Corps, and asked him about his opinion on the USS. He bluntly replied, "Ukrainian Sich Riflemen are a gang!" I remained silent, turned away, and continued my journey to the station, as I couldn't respond because I didn't know much about the USS, except for some officers who had visited me and left an extremely positive impression.
I arrived in Odessa and then proceeded to Mykolaiv, where the Riflemen were stationed. In early April, I reached the small station of Kopani, where I truly met the USS and effectively took command of them. The next day, I received orders from the 2nd Austrian Division to launch an offensive on the city of Kherson, which was occupied by significant Muscovite forces.
It was a magnificent morning in the vast and boundless steppe. That was the first time I saw the USS, and I have no words to describe my impressions. They were fine, healthy, young men with greater discipline than in the Austrian army. It made me recall General Hofman's words: "They are a gang!" I laughed sincerely and thought, "He was completely mistaken!"
In the evening, after heavy battles, we captured Kherson. The USS were quartered in barracks near the station, and my command and I stayed with one hundred USS in train cars. The relations between the USS and the local population were excellent. The Riflemen became beloved by the local peasants as they got to know them better.
From the very beginning, the locals were surprised that our boys spoke the same language as they did, that they were idealistic, and that they fought for the freedom of Ukraine.
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End of February or beginning of March 1918 - N.H. (Here and further in the text, notes by Nykyfor Hirniak). The author mistakenly mentions XII Corps instead of XXVI - N.H.
We stayed there for 10 days.
One evening, I received orders to move with my units by ship and railway to Oleksandrivsk, near the glorious Khortytsia, where the famous mother Sich once stood. We were overjoyed that we had the opportunity to touch these illustrious lands.
The preparations took a whole day as military units boarded Dnieper boats and train cars. I cannot fully describe this fascinating journey due to lack of space. We easily took Nikopol with just one hundred USS members, who remained there as a pledge. The rest of us proceeded to Oleksandrivsk. Our reconnaissance units informed us that a strong Muscovite garrison was stationed there. The Germans were approaching from the north, and we were coming from the south. However, the Germans hesitated to attack the city, claiming they were waiting for heavy artillery reinforcements. They advised us not to advance on Oleksandrivsk, but it was in vain! Our men were burning with the desire for battle and victory. We only had one battery of light cannons. On Velykyi Luh Island, we disembarked our units and cautiously advanced towards the city. I must emphasize that during the entire operation, the local population supported us with all their strength, which proved to be incredibly beneficial for us.
We regrouped in the forests of Velykyi Luh, with 6,000 rifles and one battery and two planes under my command. The planes were excellent for reconnaissance. They successfully dropped bombs on all three railway stations in Oleksandrivsk, where numerous Muscovite transports were stationed.
The intense battle began the next morning, with the enemy continuously sending in fresh forces. It should be noted that we initiated the battle without waiting for the arrival of German reinforcements from the north. After initial encounters, we had to withdraw to Velykyi Luh Island, and some units returned to the ships. I then concentrated all remaining units at a narrow gap, giving us an unconditional advantage. I requested the German artillery to shell the northern railway station, from where the enemy kept sending new reserves, thus cutting off their pathway. The German artillery indeed assisted us, and the enemy, assuming the main attack would come from the south, delayed their reserves there. We broke through the front lines, and a fierce battle ensued.